Firefighters are scrambling to bring dozens of wildfires under control in the Bay Area in support of an upcoming weather front that brings the possibility of more devastating lightning strikes.
Unstable air from an impending tropical storm moving into Mexico could create lightning strikes on tinder-dry land, similar to what started more than 300 fires that are now destroying the state, mostly in Northern California, forecasters said.
The National Weather Service issued a fire service late Friday morning for the entire San Francisco Bay Area and Central Coast, beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday and continuing for 48 hours. “Erratic gusty winds” will add danger as new lightning strikes fires.
⚠️Dry t-storm will be possible again Sun – Tue. Any t-storm that occurs will potentially bring about a new fire start, so a Fire Weather Watch has been issued. Remember to always have an emergency plan in place during the fire season in case a fire starts near you. https://t.co/YNs31lEDDm #CAwx pic.twitter.com/zmWwsj66fu
– NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) 21 August 2020
The Lafayette Police Department was among the agencies that sent an advice to its residents about the fire water alarm. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo also warned residents of Alum Rock, Evergreen and The Villages area of his city to ‘pack their bags’ in the event of an evacuation board, indicating, in part, the danger of lightning. on Sunday afternoon.
The threat is the result of Tropical Storm Genevieve, which started as a Category 4 hurricane but has since lost power as it heads for Mexico. Meteorologists and forecasters said Friday that it appeared that remnants of that fast-moving storm and any lightning it could cause would not occur until later Sunday.
Cal Fire spokeswoman Heather Williams said the agency has been bracing for lightning since Sunday night. As firefighters and resources in California begin to flow from surrounding states, Williams said Cal Fire will use that help to jump on all new fires, while also sending reinforcements to make crews fighting the big fires that ‘ t all burn around the Bay Area.
“It’s going to be something we’re watching, just like we did on these (previous) lightning strikes,” Williams said.
The agency’s stated goal is to put out 90% of fires before they grow to more than 10 acres. But the estimated 12,000 lightning strikes that California saw last weekend, leading to about two dozen large fires statewide this week, have badly fueled fires for arson.
Whether rain will help combat the series extinguishes remains another question.
“We could get some rain and thunder, but I do not know it will be enough to help substantially in the fires,” said meteorologist Cynthia Palmer.
Experienced firefighters worked through Thursday night through Friday afternoon, pleading for help as wildfires continued to be consumed in eight of nine counties in Bay Area.
That smoke from those fires remained in the atmosphere again Friday, bringing more warnings from forecasters, such as air experts and government agencies.
The weather forecast is “ugly,” Palmer said.
The smoke remained particularly close in the central Bay Area. In Livermore, the fine particulate matter was measured by Bay Area Air Quality Management District 178 at 10 a.m. Friday. A reading of 150 means that the air is not healthy for everyone, and anything above 200 is very unusual.
The Air Force District also recorded official figures of 168 in Pleasanton, 163 in Gilroy, 161 in Concord, 158 in San Jose and 157 at Laney College in Oakland.
In Santa Cruz, where firefighters had not yet commented Friday morning on the fires at the CZU complex that burned 229,968 acres, Purple Air’s unofficial readings put the particles at Lompico Park at 642. By comparison, the company – which air quality worldwide is controlled via sensors stationed around the world – delivering readings from more than 500 during the Camp Fire in Butte County two years ago.
“We just have so many fires in the area that it just brings more and more smoke,” Palmer said. “And our weather pattern is not changing, so there’s no way to get that smoke out.”
Air officials reminded residents that an Alare of the Spare went into operation through Sunday, and in San Mateo County, city officials in Half Moon Bay said the county has closed all of its beaches over the weekend. The parks of the province were already closed.
“I hate telling people to just stay indoors because I know some people do not have air conditioning,” Palmer said. “But that’s really the safest thing to do.”
Temperatures throughout the region remained cooler on Friday, with the warmest air expected in the inland East Bay. The thermometer there probably did not reach 91 or 92 degrees, Palmer said. Cities in Bay Area closer to the water were expected to have temperatures in the 70s and 80s, she said.
The cool-off, forecasters said, was due to a low-pressure trough moving in the Pacific Northwest and helped break the customary coastal bay from a high-pressure force built from it. suden. That rudder began the heatwave week, and Palmer said it was “trying to recreate itself” and that it could do so through Saturday.
“Normally this would bring the temperatures up again, but I think the smoke can actually reduce it,” she said. “It’s just because it’s so thick and so thick.”
Staff writers Nico Savidge, Jason Green and Erin Woo contributed to this story. Check back for updates.
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